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Groupama 40
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| Catamaran eXtreme 40 |
| The Extreme 40 is almost entirely designed from two layers of carbon fibre laid on either side of a core of honeycomb referred
to as Nomex. This construction method is very similar to that used in Formula 1, except that the Formula 1s don't measure
12 metres long and 19 metres high!
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Formula 1s of the seas
The hulls, the mast and the other carbon structures are assembled with the help of a type of carbon fibre called pre-preg,
which are pre-impregnated with special resin.
At the point where the craft is assembled, the different sections
are heated in a massive high pressure oven, known as an autoclave. The very intense heat and pressure act like a catalyst
and harden the resin, which makes the whole structure incredibly solid and resistant but also very light.
The boat
- with the sails - weighs around the same as a Mini Cooper. Once dismantled, the catamaran fits into a standard 12 metre container
and the crew can assemble it in a few hours.
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Technical specifications
| | LOA / Beam | 12.19
m / 7.92 m | | Weight | 1,300
kilos | Air draft
| 18.89 m | Boom length
| 12 m | Maximum speed
| 40 knots | | | |
Sail area surface
| Mainsail
| 75 m2 | | Jib sail
| 25 m2 | | Gennaker | 78
m2 | | | | | Home port | Lorient | | Launch | March 2009 | Race number
| 40 | | | | | Decoration: Odouce - Jean-Baptiste Epron |
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Crew: | 4 sailors + 1 guest
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Architects having participated in the design | | Yves
Lauday, in collaboration with Mitch Booth and Herbert Derksen | | | |
Construction yard: Tornado
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